Prince Harry arrived in Kyiv on Friday morning for an unannounced visit aimed at supporting Ukrainians with life-changing injuries from the war. The trip was organized at the invitation of Superhumans, a charity that provides prosthetics and rehabilitation for those wounded.
The Duke of Sussex, who traveled by train, was greeted by the group’s founder, Olha Rudnieva, in a video released by Ukrainian Railways. She welcomed him with a hug and presented him with a podstakannik—a traditional silver tea-glass holder used on night trains in Ukraine.
This is Harry’s first visit to the Ukrainian capital, though he previously toured a rehabilitation center run by Superhumans in Lviv in April. He is expected to announce new initiatives to help with the recovery of injured personnel, though details are likely to emerge later in the day.
“We cannot stop the war but what we can do is everything possible to help the recovery process,” Harry told The Guardian ahead of his trip. “We can continue to humanise the people involved in this war and what they are going through.”
The prince is accompanied by a team from his Invictus Games Foundation, which he founded in 2014 to provide wounded veterans with opportunities to compete in international sporting events. Ukraine first joined the games in 2022, shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion, following special permission from President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Harry’s visit comes just days after his Archewell Foundation announced a $500,000 (£369,000) donation to projects supporting injured children from Ukraine and Gaza. The grants will go toward World Health Organization medical evacuations and the development of prosthetics for young people.
Tens of thousands of Ukrainians, both soldiers and civilians, have undergone amputations since the invasion began. Ukraine has not released precise figures for military casualties, but aid organizations warn the numbers continue to climb.
Members of the wider Royal Family have also expressed support for Ukraine. King Charles welcomed President Zelensky to Sandringham in March, describing Russia’s actions as “indescribable aggression.” In the same month, Prince William met Ukrainian refugees in Estonia, praising their resilience.
Harry’s trip follows a private meeting with his father in London on Wednesday—their first face-to-face encounter since February 2024.
